Monday, January 28, 2013

I sold my car, Hailey, this month. Thankfully, she went to two dear friends, Josh and Kadie, who will love on her and treat her right. I feel rather Mr. Bennet-y about the whole thing, as I never imagined she would be sold with so little cost and inconvenience to myself. But, they needed a new(ish) car and I had one to sell, and we all know and trust each other and everything went swimmingly. Tra-la-la! What a glorious turn of events!

So, I have coined a phrase to describe this new era in my life here in the 'burbs: "rejecting the suburban car paradigm." Nearly everyone believes that you cannot live a full and complete life in the suburbs nowadays without a car. Sadie and I are out to prove them wrong. We'd put less than 200 miles on Hailey since August; I would start her once a week to pull her out a few feet to get to my Sunday School supplies in the file cabinet in the garage. Other than that, Sadie and I have been effectively without a car all this fall and winter. And, much like the ancient Persian couriers so esteemed by Herodotus, neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night shall stay we courageous suburban cyclists from our course. And Sadie has (almost) stopped complaining about her eccentric, bicycle-loving mama to any and all marginally sympathetic ears.

I'm hoping to pick it up today from Bicycles West. My current bike, Petunia, is way too small for me. The frame of the FX (tentatively named Jack Black) will be 17". Petunia is only 13". When my legs are fully extended while pedaling her, the bend in my knee is close to 90°! It's amazing I haven't blown a knee (or two!) out on these WA hills over the past four years. Also, while at Bicycles West, I'm going to have Sadie's bike's mountain bike-style tires replaced with thinner, faster road tires. Maybe she'll have an easier time keeping up with her old mom then.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

I'm reading Emma again, which, of course, has that famous conundrum of "courtship." It turns out that Jane Austen was a rather prolific writer of conundrums* herself -- little riddles that are clever plays on words. Her whole family was so witty and brilliant that, were she not simply fabu, you might just hate her a little. Anyhoo, while I was biking home from Sadie's swimming class this afternoon, I thought up a wee conundrum myself. It's a reaction, really, to a preposterous but trendy thing whose hefty price tag the other day caught me so off guard that I actually laughed at the person who quoted it to me. See if you can figure it out:

My first is, in short, a scientist's den;
My middle is simply to cheer;
My last is the work of an ennuye pen;
My whole is now something quite dear.

*This appears to be an English-coined word based upon some sort of Latin term that came out of Oxford in the 17th century. Since it is not direct from Latin, we pluralize it using the English -s. At least, that's what the OED tells me, and I BELIEVE!

Why I Write (At Least On Good Days):

"Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy - meditate on these things." --Philippians 4:8

Witty, Wise and Wonderful Words

She was not in the least afraid of loneliness, because she was not afraid of devils. I think they were afraid of her.
--G.K. Chesterton, The Ball and the Cross, Chapter XI, "A Scandal in the Village"

The Obligatory "About Me" Section

"I dream of simple things I can believe in." -- Amy Grant
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"I will dare to dream. I will dare to believe in something, baby. And I will dare to be happy. I will dare to be happy." -- Carolyn Arends
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"It's so amazing how Your voice keeps breaking through -- and I can hear You." -- Carolyn Arends

Places I Like. Organizations I Support.

And Now, A Little Love For My Neighbours to The North

Canadians rock! We salute the native land of Carolyn Arends, L.M. Montgomery, Isabel Paterson, Mark Steyn, Tim Horton's (Toujours Frais Café!), SharlaZ, Ryan the Lutheran, Rebecca from BC, some of the best comedians and comediennes, and countless other creative artists, intellectuals, and all-around nice folks who enrich our lives! (And I must not forget the lovely Robin Sparkles!)